Dear District 12 residents,

The 2013 Hurricane Season starts June 1^st and while last year we were fortunate enough to not experience a hurricane we must be always be prepared to protect ourselves and our family. This is why I am encouraging you to gather your supplies early and stock up on essentials like water and canned goods for at least 3- 14 days. 

For more information visit www.miamidade.gov/hurricane/ for access to a complete list of the essential supplies needed, shelters, evacuation routes and emergency phone numbers. Hurricane Season ends on November 30^th, so let’s stay safe!

If you should have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact my office at 305-599-1200. 

Sincerely,

Commissioner José “Pepe” Díaz

At the May 21st, Board of County Commission meeting, Commissioner Diaz presented a proclamation to the cycling community, proclaiming the month of May as “Bicycle Safety Month” in Miami-Dade.

According to the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, Miami-Dade County is tied as the second county in the State of Florida with the most crashes resulting in fatal injuries to cyclists. As an avid cyclist’s himself, Commissioner Diaz wants to encourage all residents and visitors to show respect on the roads by being aware of cyclists on the roads and by cycling safely.

Last month, Commissioner Diaz proposed legislation urging the Florida Legislature to change sentencing guidelines for hit and run accidents to impose a minimum mandatory of 10 years. While it was approved by his colleagues, it was too late for the Florida Legislature to pass it in this year’s session.

However, Commissioner Diaz has been advocating and has been working locally with Everglades Bicycle Club, Miami Pace, MACK Cycling and the Aaron Cohen Law Initiative group to ensure the Florida Legislature passes this bill in Tallahassee in the next session.

For International Firefighters Day on May 3, Commissioner Diaz honored firefighters for their dedication.
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The commissioner also honored police officers for “National Police Appreciation” week on May 13 at Miami-Dade Police Headquarters.

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On May 18 at the “Our Community Salutes” ceremony, Commissioner Diaz spoke to hundreds of graduates and thanked them for enlisting in the U.S. Armed Forces.

He also took a moment to thank their parents for supporting their children in this decision. “Our Community Salutes” recognizes and honors high school students who are ready to take the oath to serve their country.

The event was held at Miami Beach High School in Miami Beach.

On May 28, Miami-Dade Fire Lt. Maria Ortiz presented a plaque to Commissioner Jose Pepe Diaz for his efforts in securing the donation of discarded Miami-Dade Fire & Rescue equipment for various departments in the Dominican Republic. 

The plaque was a gift from the department in the town of Boca Chica, where they plan to put the equipment to good use. This equipment is obsolete and cannot legally be used by another County department, a municipality in Miami-Dade County or an eligible community organization.

Commissioner Diaz is happy to announce that 52 small businesses in District 12 have been awarded a Mom and Pop Small Business Grant for 2013. Each business was awarded up to $2,500 to help their business grow.

The Mom and Pop Small Business Grant program was created to provide financial and technical assistance to qualified small businesses that are approved for funding.

The program allows small businesses the opportunity to interact with local government and receive financial assistance to promote the local economy. Local businesses can use the grant to purchase equipment, supplies, advertising/marketing, inventory, building liability insurance, security systems and to make minor renovations.

Anyone interested in applying for District 12’s Mom and Pop Small Business Grant for 2014 can contact the commissioner’s office in December 2013 for more information on the program.

Trying to view your property assessments for 2013? Now you can by visiting the Miami-Dade Property Appraiser website at www.miamidade.gov/pa. Property owners can also schedule an appointment for an assessment review. They may also download an Informal Assessment Review form, which they can fill out and send to the property appraiser’s office with supporting documentation.

Additional information is also available by phone at (305) 375-4712. Property owners are encouraged to visit the Downtown office if they feel their assessment is too high. The staff at the Property Appraiser’s Office has been empowered to adjust values on the spot if appropriate supporting documentation is provided. This new process has been created to help reduce the need for lengthy appeals, let property owners know what to expect on their tax bill, and possibly lower their property taxes altogether.

In previous years, property owners had to wait to find out their property’s value until the release of the TRIM (Truth in Milleage) Notice in mid to late August, which left less than a month before the deadline to file an appeal with the Value Adjustment Board. Those appeals would create more than a year of uncertainty before a final determination on value was made..

Kudos to 15 year old Natalia Gonzalez, who represents District 12 on the Youth Commission! She is committed to serving our community, especially our youth.

Natalia has been serving on the Youth Commission for a year and earlier this month she worked with the Miami-Dade County Teen Court on their annual “Youth Speaking Out Against Violence: Inspiring Peaceful Change conference, where she took an active role by developing the agenda for the workshop. The workshop focused on bullying, love relationships, violence, media, profiling and violence in our schools.

The Youth Commission consists of 27 students between the ages of 15 and 18 years old. They focus on issues or programs that affect the youth in our community and also make suggestions to commissioners on how to improve the quality of life for our youth.

If you are 62 years old or older and looking for housing, the Gran Via Apartments located at 12700 SW 8^th Street will be accepting application from June 10 thru June 17^th, 2013.

Residents interested in applying must download the application at www.miamidade.gov/housing, where a link will be provided on June 10^th.

Miami-Dade County Animal Services Department, in collaboration with the Miami Marlins Ayudan Team The Voice, will be celebrating their third pet adoption event, Marlins Adopt-O-Mania, on Sunday, June 2nd, 2013, at Marlins Park, from 9 am to 2 pm., along with the Humane Society of Greater Miami and The Cat Network.

Animal services will also be providing spay/neuter surgeries for dogs under 50 lbs. at no cost to the residents of surrounding communities and The Cat Network will offer free sterilization for cats.  Dog and cat booster vaccines will be offered free of charge.  Rabies vaccinations and microchips will be provided for $10 each (low cost rabies applicable for qualifying pet owners).

In order to spay/neuter your dog at the event, an appointment must be scheduled by calling 3-1-1.  For cat spay/neuter appointments, please contact The Cat Network at 305-233-9958 or email meowmobile@thecatnetwork.org.

On November 30, 2009, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) District Six in partnership with the Miami-Dade Expressway Authority (MDX) began a reconstruction project of the State Road (S.R.) 826 (Palmetto Expressway) and S.R. 836 (Dolphin Expressway) Interchange.

Now that construction has begun, there will be many upcoming lane and ramp closures on the Dolphin Expressway. For more information about construction-related activities, please contact email Oscar Gonzalez or call 786-280-0983. General information can be found at 826-826 website. Motorists are encouraged to call 511 before they drive, or log on to Florida's Statewide 511 website for real-time traffic and lane closure information.

The Home Care Program provided by the Miami-Dade Community Action and Human Services Department (CAHSD) helps many seniors and individuals living with a disability by providing a caregiver to the person’s home.

The program is available to qualified residents of Miami-Dade County and provides light cleaning, shopping, meals preparation, washing dishes, laundry, and personal care which includes assistance with bathing, grooming, dressing and feeding as needed.

For more information about the Home Care Program and other services available for seniors visit www.miamidade.gov/socialservices or call (786) 469-4600.

To help Miami-Dade County residents, the Miami-Dade Public Library System is offering a wide assortment of vital information and valuable assistance for job seekers! From computer classes and access to the Internet, to help with resume writing, job interviewing skills and test preparation, the Library wants to help patrons prepare for and search for jobs.

Free classes are held throughout all 47 branch locations and are available in both English and Spanish. The Library’s website, www.mdpls.org, has created a “Job Search” section for individuals to access from any location 24/7.

For more information, contact 305-375-BOOK (2665) or visit Miami-Dade Public Library System website.

The Miami-Dade Community Action Agency’s (CAA) Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is currently assisting eligible residents with payment of their gas or electric bills.  The program assists individuals who are experiencing an increase in their energy bill due to the weather as well as individuals with final notices or those who have had their services disconnected. 

Applications for LIHEAP are available Monday through Friday at CAA Service Centers like the Hialeah Service Center, 300 E. First Avenue, or the Sweetwater Service Center, 250 SW 114 Avenue.

For a complete list of all the CAA Service Centers or to download the application, please visit the County’s website or contact the Miami-Dade Community Action Agency at 786-469-4600.

Downtown Office Stephen P. Clark Center 111 NW 1st Street, Suite 220 Miami, Florida 33128 (305) 375-4343

District Office 8345 NW 12th Street Miami, FL 33126 (305) 599-1200

District12@miamidade.gov

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